The ceramic trade throughout Medieval Southeast Asia was prolific. Terrestrial sites have yielded massive amounts of ceramic material and the archaeological reports of shipwreck cargoes corroborate the versatile and extensive qualities of trade ceramics in the region. The sheer quantity of ceramic artefacts found in shipwreck assemblages, paired with a well-researched framework of the aesthetic, demonstrates that we rely heavily on ceramic data to date wrecks and establish regional trading patterns. While ceramics typically represent the bulk of the recovered material in these instances, many other types of material are present in the various assemblages. Yet these "lesser" materials suffer from a lack of investigation and, therefore, play virtually no role in the archaeological and historical assessment of the ship, its cargo, and its relationship to the maritime economy of the period. While ceramic studies may provide a general overview, a consideration of the other material provides subtlety and nuance to the analysis. This case study focuses on the non-ceramic assemblages for six shipwrecks from the 14th and 15th Centuries of Southeast Asia (three Chinese-built and three Southeast Asian-styled junks). The typological study of the metallurgical, organic and geological material from these wrecks can complement much of the work surrounding existing trade models as well as reveal new concepts of crew life, belief systems and culture. These facets come together to offer a more holistic narrative as well as stimulating the need within the region for more study regarding the locations where past peoples mined and manufactured raw metals. The thesis will also consider the motivations behind the excavators of these projects and what role this plays in the interpretation of the non-ceramic material. One wreck was excavated by treasure hunters, one was done by an amateur archaeologist and a curator, and a third was excavated by a governmental organization. Two excavations were conducted by a non-profit foundation in conjunction with a National Museum and a final one was a purely academic excavation. Each party brings their own experiences and motivations to the excavation and therefore the systems of collection, curation, and conservation weigh heavily and are varied. These factors can determine what priorities each excavator brings to the analysis of excavated objects and the extent to which this effects the subsequent interpretation of the shipwreck.

No description available.

The theme of this study is that seven major East Asian less developed countries (LDCs) have experienced "dependent development," and that some internal and external intervening factors mattered in that process. Utilizing a framework of "dependent development," the data analysis deals with the political economy of development in these countries. This analysis supports the fundamental arguments of the dependent development perspective, which emphasize positive effects of foreign capital dependence in domestic capital formation and industrialization in East Asian LDCs. This perspective assumes the active role of the state, and it is found here to be crucial in capital accumulation and in economic growth. This cross-national time-series analysis also shows that the effects of external dependence and military spending on capital accumulation and economic growth can be considered as a regional phenomenon. The dependent development perspective offers a useful way to understand economic dynamism of East Asian LDCs for the past two decades.

The 1997-98 Asia financial crisis provides a natural experiment to examine how firms adapt their strategic choices to the changing business environment. In this study, I investigate the evolution of the board and asset structure of the 83 surviving commercial banks in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand around the financial crisis. I find that after the crisis (1) the board practice has been significantly improved. In particular, the percentage of independent directors increased and more banks had the board duality and the chairman/CEO with professional backgrounds and fewer banks had politically-connected chairman/CEO; (2) the asset structure tended to be more liquid and diversified. The commercial and industrial loan reduced and the liquid asset and the consumer loan ratio substantially increased. These results suggest that the Asian banks strived to adapt their board and asset structure to the dynamic regulatory and market environment in the post-crisis period. I also find that the locally controlled banks and the banks in the sample economies with more aggressive market opening policy tended to have more significant changes of board and asset structure in the post-crisis period. / This study sheds light on how firms adapt their strategic choices to the changing business environment by examining the adaptation of the board and asset structures of the Asian commercial banks around the financial crisis. My research results also indicate that the new corporate governance of Asian banks shows convergence towards the Anglo-American model and the adoption of more Western board practices can help improving bank transparency and performance. These findings provide some insights for the Asian regulators in the policy formulations in the future. / To examine whether board and asset structure are related to bank transparency, the results show that bank's transparency is positively related to board independence. However, I do not find strong support that bank transparency is related to its asset structure. For the relations between board and asset structure and performance, I find that bank profitability and interest spreads are positively related to the board size and non-political connection of board. Also, the results indicate that the liquid asset, security-to-total assets and consumer lending ratios are positively associated with bank profitability, interest margin and market-to-book ratio and negatively associated with non-performing loan ratios. The overall evidence suggests that the adaptability to dynamic business environment is critical to the Asian bank's performance. / Fung, Lai Kin Sammy. / "March 2008." / Adviser: Joseph P. H. Fan. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-03, Section: A, page: 0928. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-77). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

No description available.

Dai Yi. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-82). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / CHAPTER / Chapter ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background / Purpose / Summary of hypotheses and results / Organization / Chapter TWO --- REVIEW OF THEORIES AND LITERATURE --- p.5 / The Literature on ownership structure / Theoretical explanations for capital structure / The Literature on investment-cash flow sensitivities / Chapter summary / Chapter THREE --- DATA COLLECTION --- p.15 / Sample selection / Ownership and control definition / Patterns of the East Asian Firm Ownership / Country characteristic variables / Chapter summary / Chapter FOUR --- THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OWNERSHIP STRUCTURES AND FIRM LEVERAGE --- p.23 / Rationale for the study / Hypothesis / Description of regression variables / The Heteroscedasticity problem and solution / Regression results / Accounting for country effects / Chapter summary / Chapter FIVE --- THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OWNERSHIP STRUCTURES AND INVESTMENT-CASH FLOW SENSITIVITY --- p.42 / Theoretical framework / Hypothesis / Regression specification / Summary statistics / Empirical findings / Country characteristic control / Chapter summary / Chapter SIX --- CONCLUSION --- p.52 / TABLES --- p.54 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.79

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Asian countries have become one of the largest export markets for US food developers during the past decade. Understanding consumer expectations and needs in a cross-cultural framework has gained importance for new products to succeed in the international markets. A sports-drink, which is a functional drink for athletes, has been successfully introduced in the US. The product is also growing in popularity internationally. However, the concept and product sports-drink is relatively novel among Asians. The overall objective of this study was to investigate cross-cultural consumer acceptance and fundamental factors driving diversities in food acceptance using a sportsdrink varied in sweetener concentration. In the first part of the study, respondents (372) from Indonesia, Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan, Thailand, and United States evaluated sports-drink samples at four sweetener levels. Respondents' expected sensory characteristics, concept fitness, functionality, and experience with twenty commercial beverages were also evaluated. The results show that the optimal sweetness level for the sports-drink was lower for Americans than Asians. The degree of increase in perceived sweetness intensity over sweetener levels was greater among Americans than Asians. Also, there were considerable cultural differences in expectations for various beverages. In addition, experience with a product was another key factor affecting expectations. Based on the results from the first part of the study, a model delineating the processes of hedonic and intensity rating incorporating familiarity, concepts, and context effect was developed. To investigate the significance of this model, expectations were rated and sensory testing was carried out by modifying concepts and using different contexts of beverages. People (256) from Mainland China, Indonesia, Korea, and United States (US) participated in this experiment. The length of exposure to a sports-drink was a key factor affecting the optimum sweetener level for a sports drink. Concept influenced both expectation and taste rating of a sports-drink for the panelists who had been exposed to the sports-drink longer. Less exposed panelists were only affected in their taste rating by different concepts. When the concept was less acceptable, the acceptance rating of the optimum sweetener sample was also lowered. US panelists had a different expectation for a lemon-lime flavored beverage than did Asians. Ideal sweetness intensity ratings for general beverages was a good predictor in determining for panelists' optimum sweetener level for a sports-drink. Based on the model proposed, cross-cultural diversities in sweetness preference were better understood. / Graduation date: 2000

by Cheung Wai-yin Ronald, Chong Wing-kong. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaf 95. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.v / CHAPTER / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter I. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.5 / Chapter II. --- COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND SERVICES ENVIRONMENT --- p.7 / Hong Kong --- p.11 / Infrastructure --- p.11 / IT Manpower --- p.12 / Technical Capacity --- p.16 / Research and Development --- p.18 / Market Information --- p.19 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.22 / Role of Government --- p.25 / People's Republic of China --- p.28 / Infrastructure --- p.28 / IT Manpower --- p.30 / Technical Capacity --- p.32 / Research and Development --- p.34 / Market Information --- p.34 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.39 / Role of Government --- p.39 / Singapore --- p.44 / Infrastructure --- p.44 / IT Manpower --- p.45 / Technical Capacity --- p.48 / Research and Development --- p.50 / Market Information --- p.50 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.54 / Role of Government --- p.56 / Taiwan --- p.59 / Infrastructure --- p.59 / IT Manpower --- p.60 / Technical Capacity --- p.63 / Research and Development --- p.64 / Market Information --- p.65 / Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.68 / Role of Government --- p.71 / Chapter III. --- COMPARISON OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES AND WEAKNESSES --- p.74 / Comparison of Infrastructure --- p.74 / Comparison of IT Manpower --- p.75 / Comparison of Technical Capacity --- p.85 / Comparison of Market Information --- p.85 / Comparison of Supporting Hardware Industry --- p.86 / Comparison of Role of Government --- p.86 / Chapter IV. --- CONCLUSIONS --- p.90 / Collaborative Model --- p.90 / Role of the Four Chinese Communities --- p.92 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.95

Leung Yuk Sze. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-131). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.ii / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / Chapter 1 Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 Literature --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1 --- The Financial Characteristics of Target Firms --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2 --- Agency Problems in Emerging Markets --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Ownership Characteristics of Target Firms --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Hypotheses --- p.21 / Chapter 3.1 --- The Financial Characteristics of Likely Targets --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2 --- Ownership Structure Characteristics and Takeovers --- p.27 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Sample Construction --- p.33 / Chapter 4.1 --- Data Descriptions --- p.33 / Chapter 4.2 --- Variable Descriptions --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Regression Results on Financial Characteristics --- p.41 / Chapter 5.1 --- Methodology and Econometric Model --- p.41 / Chapter 5.2 --- Summary Statistics of Financial Variables --- p.43 / Chapter 5.3 --- The Financial Characteristics of Firms Targeted by Foreign Firms --- p.47 / Chapter 5.4 --- The Financial Characteristics of Firms Targeted by Foreign Firms during the Crisis Year --- p.50 / Chapter 5.5 --- The Financial Characteristics of Firms Targeted by Other Domestic Firms --- p.52 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Regression Results on Governance Characteristics --- p.55 / Chapter 6.1 --- Methodology and Econometric Model --- p.55 / Chapter 6.2 --- Summery Statistics of Ownership Variables --- p.57 / Chapter 6.3 --- The Ownership Structure Characteristics of Target Firms during the Crisis --- p.60 / Chapter 6.4 --- Interaction between Liquidity and Corporate Governance Variables during the Crisis --- p.65 / Chapter 6.5 --- The Effects of Ownership Structures on the Likelihood of Foreign Acquisitions during the pre-Crisis Period --- p.69 / Chapter 6.6 --- The Ownership Structure Characteristics of Domestic Firms Targeted by Other Domestic Firms during the Crisis --- p.70 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Discussion --- p.72 / Chapter 7.1 --- Additional Tests --- p.72 / Chapter 7.2 --- A Diagnostic Test --- p.74 / Chapter 7.3 --- Explanations and Limitations --- p.75 / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Conclusion --- p.78